Windows 98 Setup Problems Related to Swap File

ID: Q192336


The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows 98


SYMPTOMS

When you run Windows 98 Setup, it may not complete successfully.


CAUSE

This behavior can be caused by any of the following swap file issues:

  • Setup may require 25 megabytes (MB) of extra space on the drive containing the swap file to account for growth during Setup. This can happen with dynamic or permanent swap files. For example, if you have a 100 MB drive or partition dedicated to support a 100 MB permanent swap file, Setup may be unable to continue until you reduce the size of the swap file.


  • If you run Windows 98 Setup from within Microsoft Windows 3.1x or Microsoft Windows for Workgroups 3.1x, a swap file is required.


  • If multiple installations of Windows exist, Setup searches through all System.ini files to look for the paging drive. This may cause Setup to incorrectly identify your paging drive or incorrectly detect multiple paging drives.



RESOLUTION

To work around this behavior, use the appropriate method:


Free Space on Paging Disk

Check to see if the disk that contains the swap file has at least 25 MB of free disk space. Increase free disk space as necessary. For more information about how to free space on your paging drive, see Windows Help.

To determine which disk contains the swap file, use the appropriate method:

Microsoft Windows 95:

  1. Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click System.


  2. Click the Performance tab, and then click Virtual Memory. If "Let Windows manage my virtual memory settings (Recommended)" is selected, then the disk that hosts the Windows folder also contains the swap file. If "Let me specify my own virtual memory settings" is selected, then the Hard Disk box displays the swap file disk.


  3. Click Cancel, and then click Cancel.


Windows 3.1x and Windows for Workgroups 3.1x:

  1. In Program Manager, click Main on the Window menu, and then double-click Control Panel.


  2. Double-click Enhanced, and then click Virtual Memory. If the value in the Type box is None, then there is no swap file. If the value in the Type box is Temporary or Permanent, then the Drive box displays the swap file disk.


  3. Click Cancel and then click Cancel.


Microsoft Windows 3.x:

  1. In Program Manager, click Run on the File menu.


  2. Type "sysedit" (without quotation marks), and then click OK.


  3. Click the System.ini window, and then examine the [386Enh] section. If there is a PagingDrive= or PagingFile= line, then you can determine the disk that contains the swap file. If there are no such lines, than the disk that contains the Windows folder also contains the swap file.


  4. On the File menu, click Exit.


Swap File Required for Windows 3.1x and Windows for Workgroups 3.11

If you are using Windows 3.1x or Windows for Workgroups 3.1x, check to see if your computer is using a swap file by using the following steps:

  1. In Program Manager, click Main on the Window menu, and then double-click Control Panel.


  2. Double-click Enhanced, and then click Virtual Memory.


  3. Examine the Type box, click Cancel, and then click Cancel. If type is temporary or permanent, then your computer is using a swap file. If type is none, then your computer is not using a swap file. For Windows 98 Setup to complete, you must enable a swap file. To enable your computer to use a swap file, follow these steps.

    1. In Program Manager, click Main on the Window menu, and then double-click Control Panel.


    2. Double-click Enhanced, and then click Virtual Memory.


    3. Click Change. The new swap file settings should default to drive C with a type of permanent. Note that you can specify a type of either temporary or permanent.


    4. Click OK, click Yes, and then click OK to restart Windows.




Search for PagingDrive= Line In Additional System.ini Files

Search your hard disk(s) for copies of the System.ini file. Examine each System.ini file for a PagingDrive= line in the [386Enh] section. If this line exists and is set to an unexpected drive letter, you can delete the file, rename the file, delete the line, change the drive letter, or create additional free disk space on the unexpected drive.


MORE INFORMATION

For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

ARTICLE-ID: Q132810
TITLE : Out of Memory" Error on Computers with Compressed Drives

Additional query words: 3.10 95 98

Keywords : kbenv kbsetup win98
Version : WINDOWS:
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbprb


Last Reviewed: January 27, 1999
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